Solo Project
Even though I did get some Inspiration from the artworks exhibited in the NBV and ACMI, it was still hard transforming my unlimited generated ideas to reality with the requirement of non-tactile interaction. Moreover, the technical of operating Max were still not familiar and proficient in some way for me. After a long time research and exploration for a proper inspiration, I realised that many elements that can connect to interaction around each person since interaction is based on person. The other of my subject(screen printing) provided me the element of colour and thanks to Camille of presenting few different non-tactile technicals/projects that I involved in my project. In order to present a good interactive project which can attract users to play with, something simple and quick for users to understand and play with is the basic intention for my solo project.
Colour tracking, camera live recording and filters for image were achieved in this project to build an interactive platform. Most of objects used in are from the series of jitter. The users have to prepare any objects with obvious colour. For example, I played with my patch by using mobile phone’s flash light. When the flash light appears in the live camera, click the flash light on the jit.pwindow, and simply move the phone sound will change due to users’ movement. To achieve the colour tracking, I have learnt the tutorial of using jit.lcd, suckah and swatch.
- Jit.lcd is for recognise the object that have obvious colour and transform to a rectangle.
- suckah return a click-able area that returns to and RGB colour.
- swatch allows users to choose preferred colour.
In order to achieve different camera live, I used what Camille was teaching in class about jit.scissor and gave the image different filter.
Actually, I planned to involved in more fun experience for users to gain the multi-faceted senses, like using few coloured objects to control different instrument (eg. drum, violin, piano, etc. ). However, due to the limitation of ability and lack of technical skills of Max software. I could not complete what I was expected. But is does not bother me to believe that this is a great interactive project that will attract audiences. The expected challenges mostly considering about maybe is how to gain more interaction and how to make users unconsciously enjoy playing my project for long time. It is quite obvious that I did not achieve, but definitely will gain the result in future study.
Group Project
Our inspiration and concepts were keep changing during the process. Brainstormed of different effects appears on body while moving or using hands/body movement to control the playback form of sound were all failed to achieve. After more brainstorm and research, we decided to extend Rico’s last solo project, which is again combining video and audio to provide multi-faced sensation to users. We simply want the users to enjoy and have fun while playing with our project. The entire project involved what Camille taught in class about jit.scissor and inspiration from the dancing machine. We were quite ambitious about our concept as previous idea was each movement refers to one sound effect. While users following the dance video to move their bodies and hands, appropriate sound effects will be played. However, considering our technical skills and the familiarity with Max, we simplified the operation.
Camera live recording was presenting by jit.scissor with 3*4 jit.pwindow to form one complete image. Each one of the square linked to a sound effect. When the users follow the dance video to move their hands or arms, as long as any part of their body appears in the square, the corresponding sound effects will automatically played.
The purpose and expected challenge of the project was provide multi-faced sensation to users with the technical of combining live camera, video and audio playback. We gained the simple aspects, but failed with the idea of one movement correspond one sound. Moreover, the project was kind of restricted to upper body instead of whole body movement. Extending the simplified patch for our further study will absolutely receive more attention and interaction, I believe.
Reflection
Non-tactile Interaction project on Max was definitely complicated and harder than Tactile project to achieve in variety way. Initially, I was scratching my head trying to figure out how to create something that related to non-tactile interaction as an artwork/project. Thanks for Camille presented us few different display methods with the technical skills been taught. Until his step by step teaching, I brainstormed the concept I can come to. Most operations of my ideas have to controlled by movement, sound, facial expression or voice. All of the ideas are complicated and I was lack of confidence of achieving the expected result due to the limitation of ability using Max.
Chris Crawford(2003) believes good interactive design is based on three main ideas: Listening, Thinking and Speaking(Crawford, 2019). Crawford gives us a straightforward understanding of the theory and definition of Interactive work. I tried to follow the three aspects, and fortunately came out great idea for interactive project. Due to listening in the class about different way to present non-tactile and chatting with my group members, after long time brainstorming, we came out the the concept for group assessment. The process of sharing each other’s desire and idea is always essential to create something new on the basis of previous experience.
Initially, we were inspired by Philip Worthington’s Shadow Monsters, which currently presenting in ACMI. We were hoping to create a playful real-time interactive experience to users by using the live camera to capture the body. While moving the body, different effects or graphics will appears on the body. Considered our ability, we gave up the idea and changed to extend the jit.scissor which taught in class. At the beginning of extending this imitated idea, we hope to achieve one movement correspond one sound with the video playback at the same time. The problem was it is too complicated to gain the expected result. Thus, we had to install only one sound in one square(screen;jit.pwindow) of the jit.scissor. The significant purpose of this project are divided into three aspects. Firstly, how to create more interaction between the project itself and users. Secondly, how can users stay on our project longer to play with it. Considering this point is to prepare for our further assessment. Lastly, how does the project work to let the users experience multi-faced sensation. These three purposes are also what my intention for achieving in individual project. We combed sound, movement and video together and present in a simple, easy understanding way to help the audience play with it.
The collaboration of each group members supported the project to be complete not perfectly, but closed to the expected. Teamwork’s importance always exists during the tense period. Brainstorming, sharing ideas to each other and looking for suitable tutorial together helped us completing this project. Even though, Chole and I were away in Easter’s holiday caused us cannot organised a meeting to work on project, but we still catches up online during and after the break. Similarly with the last assignment, Chole and Wenping done the basis of the patcher, Rico and me contributed ideas and I done some extension in the patcher. Probably next time, we should settle down the concept more earlier, or else, not enough time to consult with Camille will caused us hard to achieve expected work.
The significant purpose of this project are divided into three aspects. Firstly, how to create more interaction between the project itself and users. Secondly, how can users stay on our project longer to play with it. Considering this point is to prepare for our further assessment. Lastly, how does the project work to let the users experience multi-faced sensation. These three purposes are also what my intention for achieving in individual project. We combed sound, movement and video together and present in a simple, easy understanding way to help the audience play with it.
To obtain the three purpose completely in my solo project, I was not limited to what Camille taught in class but also done some research about the appropriate tutorial on YouTubeI that could help me with the processing of the work. There is a tutorial that explains how to create the easiest way to track colour within max, using live camera, suckah, jit.findbounds and jit.lcd. I followed the steps to create a system of colour tracking. But it was not enough, what I desire to build is colour tracking control different instrument (eg. drum, violin, piano, etc. ) or sound. Unfortunately, I could not accomplish using different colour objects/colour to control its corresponding sounds/instrument sounds. What I achieved is any objects with obvious colour can control one sound into different form due to the movement of that objects. Live camera was linked with jit.scissor with 3*4 jit.pwindow to form one complete image.
During the process of completing 2nd assessment, I developed much more technical skills than 1st assessment. The Jitter objects were most frequently-used in this assessment and helped me to accomplish the result of build more interaction in the project and provided users multiple sensation while playing with the project.
Even though could not fully complete all the expected challenge in both group and solo project. I am still satisfied with the efforts I involved in the projects. At least I am more skilled comparing with previous project in using Max. Either group or solo have many aspects that are insufficient and need to further explore as i mentioned in artists’ statement. The best way to help next project more productive and attractive, is keep pushing and forcing myself to develop interaction project within Max and redo the previous projects to have a deeper understanding of Max. Throughout all of the process for the project, I always found useful and helpful to inspire myself and learn technical on Cycling 74, Youtube and in class. Furthermore, controlling time to do the project is what I really should pay attention on.
Bibliography
Crawford, C. (2019). The Art of Interactive Design. [online] Google Books p.387. Available at:
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=lefh5rSLbVUC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false [Accessed 4 May 2019].
